A rather unusual story of how the skidding and overturning of a motor cycle caused the death of an Australian soldier, named Arthur James Halliday, was related to the Coroner for South Wilts (Mr F H Trethowan) at an inquest held at Fargo Military Hospital yesterday (Thursday) afternoon.

Halliday was 36 years of age, was a private in a battalion stationed at Rollestone Camp, and came from West Brunswick, Victoria, where in civilian life he was a motor mechanic.

Private Holyrood said that at 2pm on Wednesday he saw him riding a motor cycle on the Salisbury Road, in the parish of Winterbourne Stoke. The machine was wobbling very much, and after it passed him it skidded and the rider fell underneath, the machine badly injuring him and rendering him unconscious.

Capt Richmond, RAMC, of Fargo Military Hospital, said death was caused through fracture of the base of the skull and fracture of the ribs.